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If the Continental returns, could it return Lincoln to the forefront of luxury motoring?

Recently, this humble blog teased you with insinuation and speculation about the possible unveiling of a modern-day Lincoln Continental at next week’s New York International Auto Show.

“It can’t be,” some said.

“Get the f*** out of here,” said others.

“You’re drunk,” opined the rest.

Well, according to the handsome and trendy staff at Jalopnik, there’s plenty of reasons to believe this is exactly what will happen.

Exhibit A? A partially crafted website that gushes about the new Lincoln Continental concept in professional PR-speak. Much mention of “you” and “we”, which is classic ‘personalize-the-carbuyer/automaker-relationship’ jargon.

No images were made available on the page, which was discovered by a Ford fan at blueovalforums.com early on March 25, but the code associated with the page references a 2017 model year Lincoln Continental.

If the Continental name does return, my fingers are crossed for styling elements of the 60s and 70s.

Until now, the bulk of the speculation (when there was any), was that Lincoln would pick New York to tease the 2016 MKS, which currently serves as the aged flagship of Lincoln’s passenger car line.

Any true flagship would require rear-wheel-drive to compete with other luxury automakers, something that can be now be accomplished by Ford’s new and versatile D6 platform.

A source told me this past weekend to expect a rear-drive Lincoln sedan at New York, and it wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense to carry over the MKS name onto a new rear-drive platform when they have the name ‘Continental’ in reserve.

Yes, the MKS exists (relatively unchanged since 2009) and dutifully reflects Lincoln’s alpha-numeric naming trend, but ‘Continental’ has more caché and remains instantly recognizable as a Lincoln model and luxury symbol.

Whether or not the MKS soldiers on in a new guise, slotted beneath a new Continental, what does Lincoln have to lose by trying to recapture the magic of the past?

The brand is still struggling and can use all the attention it can get.

The Lincoln MKS is due for a styling change, but will it also get a name change? (Cropped image: Ford Motor Company)

What is Lincoln going to reveal in New York?

Anyone who closely follows the ongoing turnaround of the Lincoln brand will know that something new is expected to be unveiled at the New York International Auto Show this April.

This shadowy Lincoln Motor Company vehicle is said to be a large sedan, underpinned by the new, modular ‘D6’ platform developed by parent company Ford and announced late last year.

That platform is the product of a $5 billion cash injection from Ford, designed to end years of stagnation at Lincoln by enabling a slew of possible new products. The D6 platform is said to be able to accommodate front, rear, or all-wheel drive setups.

An all-new flagship model would be beneficial to Lincoln at this crucial time.

The most recent Lincoln product to have work done was the 2016 MKX, which was doing the auto show circuit this winter.

Lincoln’s flagship large car is the MKS, a long in the tooth model introduced back in 2009 that’s in serious need of a redesign. Given the recent attention given to the MKZ, MKX, MKC and Navigator, it’s a no-brainer that the MKS would be next in line to receive a new look, and new architecture.

But will the New York debut be the MKS?

In December of last year, folk-rock icon Neil Young (who is marketing an audio product via his music company Pono) let slip that his product would be available on the 2016 Lincoln Continental. That model name hasn’t existed for over a decade.

Lincoln execs were mum on the issue, according to the Detroit News, leaving people to wonder whether Neil’s years of drug ingestion had left him momentarily confused.

Earlier this year, autoevolution.com speculated on the New York debut, posting information garnered from a source that stated that Lincoln would indeed be unveiling a large, rear-wheel-drive sedan at the show.

Lincoln is under pressure to produce a memorable flagship for the brand, especially when considering rival Cadillac’s planned entry of its range-topping CT6 sedan.

The Continental is Lincoln’s most famous and recognizable nameplate. Is it too much to ask for a revival?

Rear-wheel-drive would make sense, now that the funds and architecture exist to make it happen. But the New York Auto Show website doesn’t tease the MKS, but rather a ‘to be determined’ model.

Now, it could still be the MKS, which could easily appear on new, rear-wheel-drive architecture. But wouldn’t a memorable name – one that defined Lincoln for decades – make a bigger splash?

A source close to the company told me today to expect a rear-drive Lincoln sedan in New York, and cagily hinted that the Continental name can’t be ruled out.

If true, this would be big news for those who have longed for the triumphant return of that storied nameplate, which brings with it images of iconic, Kennedy-era sedans that defined American luxury.

We’ll have to wait and see whether these wishes will be satisfied – the show begins April 3 – but it’s nice to see some buzz building around Lincoln again. Whatever sedan is unveiled, we can only hope that it’s pleasing to the eye and a competitive entry into its class.

The 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu (’15 seen here) will be a distant memory once the new model arrives, hints GM (Image: General Motors)

2016 Malibu to repent for sins of the past

It’s no question that the current generation Chevrolet Malibu has been something of a failure to launch, posting declining sales figures even as a car-hungry public mobs dealerships in search of new rides.

Even with a name as recognizable as they come, Chevrolet hasn’t seen the same success with the Malibu that almost every other mass-produced midsize on the market has as of late. Sales of the Malibu have dropped since its 2013 model year introduction, despite an emergency styling refresh for 2014.

This is something of a fluke for a model that is normally quite consistent in sales, and it seems to have jarred the folks over at General Motors.

Heading towards the April 1 unveiling of the all-new 2016 Malibu at the New York Auto Show, GM appears ready to try and win back lost ground with their bread-and-butter midsize, even going as far as releasing a teaser video featuring a camouflaged test vehicle undergoing a torture test.

It’s hard to see under all the wrappings, but GM states the new ‘Bu will be based on all-new architecture, feature four extra inches of wheelbase (translating into better rear legroom and interior volume), and tempt buyers with a sleeker roofline and profile.

About 300 pounds lighter than the current model, the slimmed-down 2016 Malibu promises to make mileage gains from its 2.0 and 2.5-litre four-bangers.

All of these changes are in response to criticisms of the 2013-2015 model, which was either too cramped, too heavy, too bland or too thirsty, depending on who wrote the review.

A wheelbase stretch should give the 2016 Malibu a sleeker profile than present (Image: General Motors)

To show prospective customers that the Ninth Generation Malibu will be Like a Rock as well as Tried, Tested and True, Chevy claims that 43 years of data collected from their car’s onboard spy modules went into the development of the new sedan.

This information, sourced from the Nixon era onwards, supposedly helps Chevy determine how to plan for – and prevent – vehicle wear.

Will the new Malibu wear on people’s patience, or return the model name to prominence? We’ll find out once it goes on sale in the fall of this year.

Buick rises to No. 2 in dependability study, Lexus keeps crown

The Lexus brand, once again, took the top spot when the reliability of 2012 models was tabulated (Image: Toyota Motor Corporation)

No one wants to find themselves at the bottom of a J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study.

The market research company tracks vehicle reliability over a three-year period, and has the power to make or break a car company’s reputation.

The most recent study followed the trials and tribulations of 2012 model year vehicles, and ranked brands and models accordingly.

Thanks to the study, Buick now has reason to feel sunny, while Fiat might want to have a friend stay at their side.

The resurgent Buick brand rose to the number 2 spot, one step shy of the pinnacle, which is (and was) occupied by Lexus. Toyota and Cadillac were the third and fourth most dependable brands, with Honda and Porsche tied for fifth.

Clearly, there’s a Toyota-General Motors rivalry at play.

Buick also scored the top spot in the large car segment for its Lacrosse.

Buick rose to the Number 2 spot in this year’s J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study, with the LaCrosse topping the large car segment (Image: General Motors)

J.D. Power forms its list by tabulating the number of owner’s complaints per 100 vehicles of each brand. With 273 problems reported from 100 vehicles, Fiat scored dead last in this study.

This isn’t good news for a quirky brand that’s trying to gain a foothold in a challenging market.

Other brands that fell below average were Ford, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Land Rover, Mini, Jeep and Dodge.

While these rankings could cause vehicle owners (or prospective owners) to tug comically at their shirt collars, let it be known that the study records all complaints, many of which concern non-essential but much-used functions such as infotainment systems.

Images of exploding gas tanks, detaching driveshafts, transmissions falling onto the road, and pistons flying through the hood are often the first things that come to mind when people talk about dependability, but this is increasingly giving way to frustrations over wonky technology and non-user friendly interfaces.

Fiat ranked dead last in the vehicle dependability study, which factored heavily on in-car technology. A 2015 Fiat 500X is seen here.

“Technology issues with vehicles are viewed as significant problems by owners, and they typically don’t go away after the honeymoon period of vehicle ownership is over,” stated Renee Stephens, vice president of U.S. automotive at J.D. Power, following the latest rankings.

Buyers demand the latest technology and conveniences in their vehicles, and automakers struggle to keep up with that demand. When the resulting technology is marketed with flaws and drawbacks, buyers tend to be very critical, and won’t forget when it comes time to decide on another vehicle.

It makes you wonder how the Chevy Vega would have ranked had there been touchscreens and Bluetooth in the ’70s.

Rough road ahead for Chevy Volt ‘2.0’ ?

Featuring a longer range and new styling, the 2016 Chevy Volt goes on sale in the latter half of 2015 (Image: General Motors)

The next-generation Chevrolet Volt has been revealed, and yes, it does look a lot like a 2013 Honda Civic (with a bit of Acura TL thrown in).

With that admission out of the way, let’s explore the car itself, and the challenges it faces in today’s market.

Chevy’s ground breaking Volt, first sold in the U.S. in late 2010, showed car buyers that a middle ground could exist between hybrids and full-electric vehicles – one that prevented range anxiety while still being as green as the owner wanted.

Unusually proportioned at release, the Volt’s design quickly aged, and its exclusivity eroded as competitors began emerging in the form of plug-in hybrids and new EVs.

While Tesla’s Model S has since provided the market with a truly viable long-range EV, newer plug-ins took the hybrid concept and added a longer all-electric range (via a larger battery pack).

Sales of the first-generation Volt slipped in 2014.

The Volt, which offered about 40 miles (65 km) of all-electric range, sort of split the difference between the plug-in hybrids and lower-end EVs like the Nissan Leaf.

But the market has proven a tough one – for hybrids and EVs. Sales targets for vehicles like the Volt (as well as market share predictions for EVs) didn’t materialize, even though high gas prices accompanied the Volt’s introduction in late 2010 and continued until the latter half of 2014.

Sales figures show a marked drop in Volt sales in 2014 (18,805 U.S. sales) when compared to the two previous years (23,461 and 23,094 in 2012 and 2013, respectively).

The Volt’s declining fortunes in 2014 could be attributed to a number of factors – increased competition, an aging exterior, and the oil crash late in the year. Whatever the reason, GM knew an update was needed and had an extensive re-work planned for some time.

Under (its) skin

Still a liftback, the 2016 Volt adds an extra passenger seat in the back (Image: General Motors)

The 2015 Volt bows with a new (yet strangely familiar) body – certainly leaner and far less awkward-looking than before – as well as improved electric range and gas mileage. Acceleration is improved, and a fifth seat has been added to the interior.

The Volt’s electric drive unit has shed 100 pounds, and its newly enlarged 18.4 kWh battery pack is now 21 pounds lighter, thanks to a fewer number of cells. Electric range has been boosted to 50 miles (80.5 km), with an improved total range of over 400 miles (644 km) made possible by a direct-injected 1.5-litre four-cylinder gas generator.

In comparison, the first-generation Volt’s 1.4-litre unit returned worse mileage and ran on premium fuel.

Chevrolet claims that all of these improvements came from suggestions posed by existing Volt owners. Clearly, those owners wanted some more low-end ‘oomph’, because the new Volt’s drivetrain launches the car to 30 mph (48.3 km/h) 19% faster than before.

Owners of first-generation Volts were consulted during the design process for the 2016 model.

When I test drove a Volt in 2011 I noticed that the low-end acceleration, while buttery smooth, was more tepid than I had been expecting. It gave the car a feeling of being slightly overweight.

What the future holds

If demand for hybrids and EVs were solely due to high gas prices, it would be safe to say the Volt – no matter how improved – will go over like a lead balloon. But that isn’t the case, and never has been.

The relatively high cost of hybrids and EVs always outweighed the inherent savings in gas and maintenance, so oil and gas prices can’t be the sole determining factor. After all, while sales of the Volt declined in topsy-turvy 2014, sales of the Nissan LEAF rose compared to previous years.

People who found the previous Volt an attractive buy back in 2010/2011 will likely think the new and improved Volt is that much better. More versatility and more refinements equal an attractive car, no?

While the 2016 Volt – which goes on sale in the second half of this year – won’t likely be remembered as a modern-day Edsel, it does have a tough slog ahead of it. Beating away competition, both gas-powered and electric, while carving a thin slice of market share for itself won’t be any easier than it was five years ago.

The 2016 Lincoln MKX will adopt what’s good about its little brother, the MKC (hint: tasteful styling)

The MKX has finally grown into itself.

The Ford Edge-based SUV, which slots right in the middle of Lincoln’s utility vehicle lineup, has been identity challenged right from the beginning. Bowing in 2007, the MKX was clearly a tarted-up, badge engineering Ford that swapped front fascias and taillights for a 2011 refresh.

The 2016 MKX, revealed earlier this month at the North American International Auto show in Detroit (and photographed here in Montreal) pushes its parent vehicle further away by adopting a clear, full-body styling job.

It just so happens that the new MKX’s styling cues – flowing fender bulges, pronounced rear haunches, split grille and narrow, full-width taillights – are the same cues that adorn its smaller, well-received sibling, the MKC.

Clearly, head brass at Lincoln saw they had something good going with the MKC and applied the same touches to their wayward mid-sizer, thus giving the brand a more cohesive design language.

The styling is careful and understated, yet still pleasing to the eye, and no longer resembles a Ford with a Lincoln badge.

Under the hood, Ford’s 3.7-litre V-6 returns as the standard engine, making a projected 300 horsepower and 280 foot-pounds of torque.

The upgrade will be Ford’s new 2.7-litre EcoBoost V-6, a twin-turbo unit that Lincoln says makes 330 horsepower and 370 foot-pounds of torque (based on early data tests). This is the engine that Ford is touting as the mileage-making upgrade in its newly lightened, aluminum-framed F-150 pickups.

Both engines will be mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with push-button shifting (because buttons = luxury, obviously).

Fender bulges, more pronounced rear haunches and full-width taillights class up the new MKX.

The long-awaited, oft-mentioned Lincoln resurgence appears to be happening, with 2014 sales numbers showing a definite uptick in U.S. sales compared to the five stagnant years that came before it.

The MKZ sedan and MKC utility get most of the credit for renewing interest in the flagging brand, but if the MKX’s new look impresses in the same way as its smaller stablemate, it can only help sales.

The restyled model’s popularity remains to be seen (it goes on sale this summer), but it’s still nice to see Lincoln becoming more cohesive and self-assured as a brand.

Thoughts from the 2015 Montreal Auto Show

There’s few things as unsexy as driving in Canada in the middle of January.

Brutal cold is never sexy, nor is starting your car in that same nostril hair-freezing temperature and shivering while the heater valiantly tries (and fails) to blow warm air.

Road salt and brown-grey slush covers everything – roads, sidewalks, your car, your pants – while the weather forecast teases you with warmer weather (which never materializes) on the last day of the week.

So it was fitting that the mercury was holding steady at minus 25 when I left Ottawa for the warm, glitzy confines of the Montreal Auto Show this past week.

Thankfully, the only salt to be found inside the Palais des Congrès was on my Old Dutch potato chips.

Here it is – the 2084 Camry! Actually, the Toyota FT1 concept is meant to tease a future design direction for the company.

Unlike past years, lots of concepts were unveiled this time around, and mainly from Japanese automakers. Could it be they’re feeling a growing ‘beige’ backlash to their sensible but reserved offerings?

The wildest concept by far was the Toyota FT1, a two-seater supercar that was red enough and low enough to arouse Prince. Missing a drivetrain, the FT1’s totally un-Camrylike styling is a direction the company rep said Toyota plans to go in.

No word on whether the FT1 will be appearing alongside Corollas in Toyota showrooms anytime soon, but I somehow doubt it.

Supercars are hot, but they aren’t big sellers. Most of the concepts revealed at the show were a little more sensible, and shared a common theme: compact, sporty, 2-door crossovers aimed at adventurous, urban Millennials.

Have you finished vomiting yet? Yes, the ‘adventurous, urban Millennial’ is the new, hipsterized ‘young urban professional’ of yesterday.

Whether you’re grabbing your beard buddies and heading down to the Vance Joy/Lumineers concert, taking your open relationship girlfriend to the Lena Dunham book signing, or ironically shopping for Mason jars or corduroys by yourself, these concepts were meant to arouse apathy and muted passion all at once.

Subaru brought its VIZIV 2 concept, Hyundai rolled out the Intrado, and Volkswagen showed up with the T-ROC. Together, the concepts were meant to imply a design and market direction, one that (if accurate) should have America’s young people toasting their good fortune with overly hoppy craft beer.

Paging Millennials – the Volkswagen T-ROC might be the lifestyle you need.

All joking aside, the concepts have definite appeal. A Jack-of-all-trades vehicle that combines sportiness with modern amenities, a city-friendly body length and usable utility would seemingly be the perfect vehicle for a childless one-car couple.

They could easily be a second, more ‘fun’ car for a Baby Boomer couple. Or, just maybe, individuals of all ages might come to the conclusion that – based on its attributes – this is the car for them.

Besides the concepts, a number of models ready and waiting to be bought were given some time in the limelight.

The North American unveiling of the Mazda 2 revealed a newly KODOized styling job, a new 1.5-litre SKYACTIV-G engine, a longer wheelbase and basically upgraded everything. Despite the freshening up, it looks like the 2 will retain the sprightly personality it has made for itself.

The front end of the 2016 Mazda 2 shows off its new KODO design language.

The Fiat 500X, the larger crossover built atop the stretched 500L platform that underpins the Jeep Renegade, impressed with its pleasing proportions and tasteful trim. Compared to the 500X, the 500L looks like a birthday cake after a grenade attack.

Lincoln’s refreshed-for-2016 MKX was at the show, but wasn’t afforded any unveiling time. Still the black MKX in the display reflected the new MKC-inspired styling job well. The treatment can best be described as ‘safely, subtly stylish’ and can only do good things for the mid-size SUV as Lincoln continues with its turnaround.

Missing from the Montreal show (due to overlap with the Detroit show) was the 640-horsepower Cadillac CTS-V sport sedan, which was a damn shame, though the ATS coupe and stunning Elmiraj concept gave journos something sharp (and sharp-edged) to look at.

The Cadillac Elmiraj concept rolled into Canada to show us what a luxury American coupe should look like.

I was hoping to come across the Hyundai Santa Cruz concept, but alas, no dice. Unveiled in Detroit, the clamshell door, short-bed unibody pickup concept has generated a lot of interest, and not just because it seemed more ‘fleshed-out’ than other concepts.

The Santa Cruz is downright appealing. While the ‘crossover coupe’ was all the rage at Montreal, I wouldn’t bet against this ‘crossover pickup’ getting the green light from Hyundai before long. It seems like the company was trying to strategically gauge consumer demand by unveiling a nearly production-ready prototype.

That seems to be what the Scion brand is doing lately, if sales figures are any indication.

A dismal year in both Canada and the U.S. has the youth-oriented Toyota Motor Corp. subsidiary against the ropes – desperate to recapture both sales and the car buying public’s attention.

Last year saw Scion sales drop a collar-tugging 20.4% in Canada compared to 2013, with a 15.1% drop in the U.S. market.

In a bid to shed dead weight, Scion announced last year it would be phasing out its micro-sized iQ, as well as its xD and larger xB hatches, the latter of which was the fledgling brand’s first quirky success story.

Sold in the U.S. since 2004 (and in Canada since the fall of 2010), the funky-yet-practical xB became synonymous with the brand – a box with personality – but soon found itself suffering from declining sales.

U.S. sales figures for the xB reached a high point of over 61,000 units in 2006, but since fell to less than 17,000 in 2014.

A box with baggage. The once-iconic Scion xB will be put out to pasture in the near future (Image: Scion)

The slow-selling FR-S sport coupe released in 2012 in collaboration with Subaru (and sold as the Toyota GT86 overseas) isn’t going to be any company’s bread and butter, nor is the competent but aging tC coupe, which means fresh offerings are needed to keep the brand buoyant.

Recently, Scion offered a peak at what the near future holds for the brand, and it isn’t all that exciting. On Jan. 7, Scion announced it would be introducing the iM hatch at the New York International Auto Show in April.

The model’s concept, unveiled late last year, somewhat resembles the love child of a Mazda 3 and a Toyota Yaris.

The press release makes sure to touch on the youthfulness of the iM:

“The new iM represents one of the two new models that Scion will bring to market in the next three years aimed at independently minded drivers. The vehicles will bring exciting options for Scion’s youthful customers looking for vehicles to support both adventure and sensibility.”

The iM concept car was blue, but Scion hopes it helps them see $$green$$ (Image: Scion)

Did you catch that? Yes, the iM’s press release points to a SECOND Scion vehicle we can expect to see unveiled this year.

And what kind of vehicle will this shadowy savior be? A sedan!

Yes, Scion’s first-ever sedan, which will have its work cut out for it trying to distinguish itself in such a crowded (and competitive) field.

Scion says the new sedan, as well as the iM and another model to be introduced in the near future, are “aimed at independently minded 18-34 year olds.”

But there’s so damn few of those! I hope Scion knows what it’s gotten itself into (though I have to imagine they’re more concerned with getting themselves out of their current sales slump).

As excited as Scion is about their new babies, not everyone is marking the days on the calendar. Over at Jalopnik, David Torchinsky called the sedan announcement part of Scion’s “bold plan to phone it in,” cheekily posting an image of an xB with a Toyota Avalon’s trunk grafted onto its ass.

Hipsters might think this is neat. Roll with it.

Rumour has it that the sedan will be based on the upcoming Mazda 2, which wouldn’t necessarily be a terrible thing. A two-week drive in a Mazda 2 this past summer made me appreciate the plucky car’s interior room, front seat comfort, and go-kart-like handling.

If the bones underneath this sedan are already competent, it’s up to Scion to make the body memorable and desirable. Those Millennials are fickle, status-quo shunning people, after all…*

*(rolls eyes)

…so my advice would be to give it the boxy body of a 1970s Fiat/Lada and call it good.

With dropping oil prices and an economy on the upswing, why not buy that new Mustang? (Image: Ford Motor Company)

End-of-year sales figures are in, and it seems the people who didn’t buy a new car this year could all fit on a short-wheelbase bus.

2014 turned out to be a boffo year for the automotive industry, and for American manufacturers, too – automakers who just a half-decade ago were questioning whether they’d survive to see the 2010’s.

In Canada, overall sales were up 6% over last year’s totals, and rose an astonishing 16% in December. In the United States, sales also rose 6% in 2014, and 11% in the month of December.

In Canada, the top three companies turned out to be the Big Three, with Ford Motor Company on top with 15.8% of the market, while Fiat-Chrysler took 15.7% and General Motors snagging 13.5%.

In the U.S. of A, GM was on top of the corporate sales ladder with 17.8% of the year’s market share, followed by Ford (14.9%) and Toyota Motor Corporation (14.4%).

Buick made impressive sales gains in Canada in 2014, selling 31% more than the year before (Image: General Motors)

In terms of brands, Canadians were most partial to Ford, which saw sales rise by 39.5% for December (compared to Dec. ’13) and 2.7% for the year. Honda and Toyota took 2nd and 3rd place, with Chevrolet and RAM rounding out the top five.

South of the border, Americans also found themselves drawn to Ford the most (thought the annual tally dipped by 1.1% over last year), followed by Chevrolet, Toyota, Honda and Nissan.

Other automakers also had strong showings this December compared to last. Buick saw Canadian sales rose 64.9%, finishing the year 31% higher than 2013. Chrysler sales shot up 86.9% in the Christmas month, though overall sales were down slightly (2.9%) for the year.

Even the Lincoln brand, which seemed (until recently) to be as endangered as GM and Chrysler were in 2008, saw positive sales gains. In Canada, the luxury brand saw a 61.4% boost in December, finishing the year 17.3% higher than last. In the U.S., Lincoln saw December sales rise 21.4% over 2013, with an annual total 15.6% higher.

Interest is being rekindled in that storied brand, it would seem.

Scion sales slid sharply in 2014 in both American and Canadian markets (Image: Toyota Motor Corporation)

In a game with winners and losers, there always has to be a downside – even with buyers running to dealerships en masse, cash in hand. This past month – and this past year – the loser was Scion, the Toyota offshoot that appears to be headed the same direction as the Lusitania.

With December sales down 30.7% in Canada and 11.7% in the U.S., drastic action will be needed to reverse this trend and keep the brand afloat. The annual sales loss for Scion works out to a drop of 20.4% in Canada and 15.1% in the U.S.

Ouch.

A sporty, 5-door hatch scheduled to be released in 2015 might change things, but I’d say more models are needed to bring the brand back to visibility.

Crystal ball types are predicting that it will be difficult for the industry to maintain this level of sales next year, which isn’t all that surprising. At some point, the amount of new cars already bought, and the amount of people who can’t afford them, will conspire to reach a sales plateau.

The Tesla Roadster (2008-2012) will soon benefit from an upgrade package that will give it 400 miles of range (Image: Tesla Motors)

Tesla Motors’ first vehicle – the simply-named Roadster – was a ground breaking vehicle when it hit the market in 2008.

Based on a carbon fibre Lotus bodyshell, the all-electric Roadster was a pocket rocket that astounded motorists and auto journalists alike with its neck-snapping acceleration and handling, smashing pre-conceived notions of what an electric car could be.

Tesla hasn’t forgotten that first car, which stopped production in 2012 after the company’s initial order of 2,500 Lotus bodies ran out. On Dec. 26, the company announced an upgrade package for remaining Roadsters, designed to give the vehicles a greatly enhanced range and a new lease on life.

Tesla will demonstrate the Roadster 3.0 Package with a Frisco to L.A. cruise in January (Image: Tesla Motors)

Though they came from the factory with a then-impressive 244-mile (393 kilometre) range, Tesla estimates the improvements included in the ‘Roadster 3.0 Package’ will give the tiny two-seater a 400-mile (644 km) range.

The package, available in spring of 2015, includes a lithium-ion battery pack with a 31% greater capacity than the original, an aerodynamics kit that reduces drag by 15%, low rolling resistance tires, and upgraded front wheel bearings and brakes.

In the first few months of the New Year, Tesla will perform a demonstration run from San Francisco to Los Angeles to highlight the Roadster’s increased range.

An hour in Heaven

In the summer of 2011, I was able to snag an hour of alone time behind the wheel of a Roadster 2.5 Sport, the last version of the model.

The sexy white Roadster was pure motoring bliss, and turned heads wherever it went. I’d have spirited it off into the sunset, except the PR team that handed it too me warned of a $157,000 bill in the mail if anything happened to it.

The spartan interior of the Tesla Roadster has everything you need, and nothing you don’t.

Given my 6’4″ frame, getting into the Roadster could easily have been accomplished by stepping over the door sill. Once nestled inside, about a millimetre off the ground, I had to crouch a bit to get my head out of the slipstream coming over the windshield.

I was struck by the Roadster’s spartan, user-friendly interior. Gear selection was accomplished via pushbuttons, as was the parking brake, but everything else was as one would expect.

With electric sports cars being a niche oddity at the time (a trend that continues today) the driving experience was surprisingly predictable and familiar. At a stoplight, the car would creep forward when you eased up on the brake pedal, just like any automatic transmission-equipped gasoline-burner.

What wasn’t familiar was the instant burst of acceleration from the rear-mounted 288-horsepower motor. Because the motor didn’t have to worry about things like RPMs or gear ratios, its 295 foot-pounds of torque were instantly available right off the line, seamlessly doled out by a 1-speed Borg-Warner transmission.

You could say the Tesla Roadster 2.5 Sport was a ‘gas’ to drive. I slay me…

When it was first tested by the crew at Top Gear, the resulting review declared the Roadster to be “Biblically quick” – a description that stuck in my mind over the years.

Yes, the Roadster, with its 0-60 time of 3.7 seconds, didn’t accelerate so much as it instantly attained the desired speed. A light jab at the throttle on the highway meant your 80-to-120km/h passing acceleration was accomplished, seemingly, in the blink of an eye.

Tesla’s introduction to the vehicle market in 2008 came like a brick through the plate glass window of established norms. An independent maker of all-electric performance vehicles – in America, no less? Where did this come from?

As the Big Three automakers struggled to stay alive in that tumultuous year, Tesla had provided a glimpse of an alternate future. It also showed what can happen when imagination meets a pile of capital.